Posted by Andrew on 17/8/2009, 10:15 pm, in reply to "I feel like a pathetic loser"

Hi John You are definitely not a pathetic loser: instead you are dealing everyday with a level of fear that most people never encounter in their whole life. In spite of that, you are managing to survive. That, believe it or not, is an achievement. Your paruresis is not you; not even part of you. It is like a parasite, preying on you. Hence why you are NOT a loser, but a sufferer. Do please post again and again, so that in putting your feelings anonymously into words, you can lessen the feelings of being "unique". You are part of a population that contains all walks of life; surgeon, physician, GP, clinical psychologist, policeman, pilot, entrepreneur, teacher, orchestral musician, investment banker, solicitor, to name but a few: not a loser among them. If you would like to discuss anything privately, you can email me - the address is the support one at the top of the page. Remember, the problem is not peeing; it is the fear/anxiety. The therapy is all about managing anxiety; also experiencing anxiety in very small doses in order to lose that anxiety a bit at a time. cheers Andrew

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